Tejo wines push into the UK market

ByJo Gilbert

Published: 05 October, 2017

Wines of Tejo, the Portuguese region just outside of Lisbon, are upping the stakes in order to expand into the UK market.

Following “huge investment” into the UK market in recent years, Wines of Tejo – representing Portugal’s fifth largest wine region - has launched various trade marketing initiatives over the past year to drive engagement further.

This included a strong presence at this year’s London Wine Fair where more than 10 producers showcased their wines.

In first half of 2017, Tejo wines gained three new specialist UK importers which have a particular focus with the on and independent off-trade.

Quinta da Badula are working with Wines by Chix, a specialist in small family-owned vineyards, and Quinta da Ribeirinha has agreed to work with Portuguese Fine Wine.

Quinta da Alorna meanwhile has partnered with Alliance Wines, and Cork of the North have placed their first orders with Quinta da Ribeirinha and Qunita da Badula.

Tejo has undergone something of a transformation over the past decade.

Until 2009, it was named Ribatejo, meaning “north of the river Tejo” (named Tagus by the Romans).

Part of the reason behind the name change was that as a wine region name was that it was easily confused with Alentejo, the region south of the Tejo river.

With producers Casal Branco, Lagoalva, Joao Barbosa and Falua already in the UK market, Wines of Tejo said the drive now is to further develop knowledge and understanding of Tejo as a value for money and quality region.

“One of the region’s key objectives at the start of 2017 was to get recognition for what’s happening over there and to get people engaged with the high quality, unbelievably fresh wines that are now being produced,” Sarah Abbott MW, UK brand ambassador for the region said.

“Fifteen years ago the region was previously off that radar, making high volume drinkable brands and when you challenge that you really have to work with a highly credible on-trade that’s seen as an arbiter of taste, and that’s really the attraction of the UK market.”

Also wanting to champion the region in the UK as a hotbed of fresh, young winemaking talent, is Luis de Castro, president of Wines of Tejo.

He said: “The Tejo Region is producing characterful, well-made wines of real interest. We have made huge investments into the UK market because we believe this is exactly the place our wines will be acknowledged and appreciated. We would like the UK market to continue to recognise the quality value ratio Tejo Wines has to offer and to help develop and encourage listings where possible. Our focus now is to improve sales of existing listings in both the on and off trade in the run up to Christmas.”